A dispute over the growing population of sea lions on the Columbia River has intensified ahead of the US midterm elections, with a Democratic candidate in Washington state advocating for a controversial cull that has divided opinions within her own party and among local communities.

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, 38, who represents Washington’s third congressional district, has called for increased lethal measures against sea lions that she says are depleting salmon stocks critical to the region’s fishing industry. The Columbia River, which forms part of the border between Washington and Oregon, has seen a rise in California and Steller sea lions preying on salmon, a fish vital to both the local economy and indigenous tribes such as the Cowlitz, who have fished the river for thousands of years.

Sea lions in the area have become a familiar presence, often seen lounging on docks and consuming large numbers of salmon. According to some fishermen, the sea lions’ appetite has had a significant negative impact on fish populations. “They eat all the salmon and they suck,” said Curtis Bunney, a local fisherman. Others, like fishing guide Reyhan Higgins, support more aggressive action to deter the animals, including using rubber bullets.

Since 1972, federal protections under the Marine Mammal Protection Act have made it illegal to kill California and Steller sea lions. The act was introduced after populations dropped dramatically due to hunting for pelts and meat. Since then, numbers along the Pacific coast have rebounded to roughly 300,000.

Gluesenkamp Perez’s stance has drawn criticism from members of her own Democratic Party, where many consider sea lions a protected species and view calls for a cull as extreme. Environmental scientists emphasize that sea lion predation is a natural behavior and caution against oversimplifying the salmon decline. Dr. Jeff Boehm, a researcher at the Marine Mammal Center in California, has said that blaming sea lions ignores larger human-induced challenges facing salmon in the Columbia River basin.

Despite the ecological arguments, some local fishermen and residents support the proposed cull, citing the dramatic fall in salmon numbers—from historic peaks of 16 million returning fish annually to only about two million today, two-thirds of which come from hatcheries. Efforts to remove individual sea lions have proven unsuccessful; a small group relocated from the Bonneville Dam quickly returned, suggesting non-lethal strategies may be ineffective.

Gluesenkamp Perez’s advocacy has led to bipartisan cooperation uncommon in the current polarized political climate. She has secured White House approval for legislation permitting the Cowlitz tribe to increase the number of sea lions they may cull. Her district is a key battleground, with her approach appealing to some Republican voters who see the issue as a matter of protecting livelihoods. Mike Doan, a fisherman who voted for Donald Trump, expressed support for her proposal, stating that making sea lions wary of boats could push them away from salmon spawning areas.

The debate reflects broader tensions between conservation efforts, indigenous rights, and the economic realities of communities dependent on fishing. As the November elections near, the sea lion issue remains a contentious topic illustrating the complex balance between environmental protection and resource management in the Pacific Northwest.